The Battle of Britain

The battle begins, summer 1940
The battle begins, summer 1940

After defeating France in June 1940, Hitler assumed Britain would sue for peace but ordered his armed forces to prepare for invasion. Hermann Goering assured him that a sustained air assault would destroy the RAF, winning the air superiority needed.
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940

July 1940 saw German planes target shipping in the Channel, drawing the RAF into combat, before radar stations, communications centres and airfields faced round-the-clock bombing in August. The battle reached a climax with attacks on London in September.
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)

Joan 'Elizabeth' Mortimer, Elspeth Henderson and Helen Turner of the WAAF. All three received the Military Medal for courageous conduct during attacks on Biggin Hill airfield. Biggin Hill suffered a total of ten major attacks between 30 Aug and 5 Sept.
Non-British personnel in the RAF
Non-British personnel in the RAF

A group of pilots of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron RAF return from a sortie. The first Polish squadrons were formed in the summer of 1940. Pilots came from several other countries, including Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, New Zealand and the USA.
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford

RAF Duxford was a Sector Station in 12 Group, responsible for defending the Midlands and East Anglia. As the fighting intensified, Duxford's squadrons were called on to support 11 Group's defence of London and the south-east.
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF

Despite incessant attacks, the RAF's defences held. The Luftwaffe could not continue, and in the autumn switched to 'nuisance' raids and night operations. The failure to defeat the RAF convinced Hitler to postpone his invasion plans indefinitely.

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Munitions, Newcastle, 1917
(art) Made by: Lavery, John (Sir) (RA) (RSA) 1917
image: The interior of a munitions factory in Newcastle, looking down the length of the large high-ceilinged building. There are male and female munitions workers on the factory floor with four huge metal girders supported horizontally on rails towards...
Elswick, 1917 : Messrs Armstrong, Whitworth & Company
(art) Made by: Lavery, John (Sir) (RA) (RSA) 1919
image: The interior of a munitions factory with female workers sitting on high stools arranged in multiple rows, working at machines.
Richborough. The Gantries
(art) Made by: Lavery, John (Sir) (RA) (RSA) 1917
image: A view from an elevated position of a gantry at Richborough dock. On the right is a mass of barges lined up on the dockside and on the left are railway tracks, with a train steaming towards the foreground. In the centre workers are busy...
Scene at a Clyde Shipyard. (Messrs Beardmore & Co)
(art) Made by: Lavery, John (Sir) (RA) (RSA) 1919
image: A view of the interior of a shipyard machine shed. Workers dressed in brown overalls work at lathes and heavy machinery.
Richborough In Fog, 1917
(art) Made by: Lavery, John (Sir) (RA) (RSA) 1917
image: A view of a dockyard scene in foggy weather conditions. In the foreground are two large barges moored by the dockside. A few other vessels are also moored and a tugboat is pulling several smaller barges towards the centre of the composition.
Shell-Making, Edinburgh
(art) Made by: Lavery, John (Sir) (RA) (RSA) 1919
image: A view down the length of the interior of a munitions factory. Female workers wearing long overalls and blue hair caps are shown at work manufacturing artillery shells. The machinery is arranged in rows along the length of the room, with the...